Bowdoin or Vanderbilt?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Bowdoin College
1

<p>hi everyone! this is my first post so bear with me. i really want to apply ED to either bowdoin or vanderbilt because i love both schools, but i really just can’t decide which one, and i’m kinda running out of time. both schools are academically about the same, but are completely different in every other way. here are my list of pros and cons for each school: i’m a female from new york, btw.</p>

<p>Vandy pros:
in nashville
fun greek life
bigger school
more well known
more diverse
very different from my home
weather</p>

<p>Vandy cons:
a little superficial (very concerned about clothes, fashion, etc)
greek life could be overwhelming
far from my home</p>

<p>bowdoin pros:
beautiful coastal campus
laid back students
smaller, more intimate student body
i could potentially run xc and track there because its d3
close to home, and wouldn’t be a culture shock
hot guys!! (or so i hear)</p>

<p>bowdoin cons:
middle of nowhere, not near a city
really small, potentially claustrophobic student body
no greek life
everyone will be from the New England area, like me
Not as well known (I think)
potentially boring??
bad weather</p>

<p>anyways, i’m still really torn. to let you know a little bit about me, i like to party so i wanna go to a school with a fun social life. also, we’re financially well off so financial aid isn’t an issue, we probably wouldn’t receive anything. i’m also completely undecided about my major. so basically what i’m asking is, is bowdoin claustrophobic and can it get boring? does the social scene get old? or is vandy too superficial? like is it exhausting for girls to constantly have to keep up appearances and brand names?</p>

2

<p>loveme, those questions would be much better answered with a weekend visit to each campus during the semester. Then you’ll be able to check out the social scene for yourself. Some folks would get claustrophobic at Bowdoin very quickly. Some would find greek life at Vandy overwhelming. To figure out which is true of you, go see!</p>

3

<p>I think you should choose Vanderbilt.</p>

4

<p>Based on what you are comparing, I would go to Vandy, although definitely make a visit to both places. Most of your cons for Vandy will be negligible (I guarantee you that the majority of people will not worry so much about fashion), but I love Bowdoin and have friends that love Vandy as well.</p>

5

<p>from your pros and cons, it seemed obvious to me that you truly like Vandy more</p>

6

<p>If you see Greek life as a positive, I also say go with Vandy. But since this is a Bowdoin thread, I must say that Bowdoin is a wonderful school.</p>

7

<p>Both are outstanding choices. I get the sense from your comments that Bowdoin may be “too boring”, and since you “wanna party”, that a school larger than Bowdoin may fit your needs better. But keep in mind that it is not a primarily New England-focused campus–63% of Bowdoin’s students are from outside New England, and one third are students of color–it has a national student body, befitting its reputation as a top liberal arts college. I would advise you to visit both Vandy and Bowdoin by all means. My sons hated the idea of Nashville, Tennessee, no matter how hard I advocated for putting Vandy on their lists but fell in love with the Bowdoin campus. See for yourself–you may be surprised after visiting.</p>